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Mould RR, Mackenzie AM, Kalampouka I, Nunn AVW, Thomas EL, Bell JD, Botchway SW. Ultra weak photon emission-a brief review. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1348915. [PMID: 38420619 PMCID: PMC10899412 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1348915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Cells emit light at ultra-low intensities: photons which are produced as by-products of cellular metabolism, distinct from other light emission processes such as delayed luminescence, bioluminescence, and chemiluminescence. The phenomenon is known by a large range of names, including, but not limited to, biophotons, biological autoluminescence, metabolic photon emission and ultraweak photon emission (UPE), the latter of which shall be used for the purposes of this review. It is worth noting that the photons when produced are neither 'weak' nor specifically biological in characteristics. Research of UPE has a long yet tattered past, historically hamstrung by a lack of technology sensitive enough to detect it. Today, as technology progresses rapidly, it is becoming easier to detect and image these photons, as well as to describe their function. In this brief review we will examine the history of UPE research, their proposed mechanism, possible biological role, the detection of the phenomenon, and the potential medical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhys R Mould
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alasdair M Mackenzie
- OCTOPUS, Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Ifigeneia Kalampouka
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alistair V W Nunn
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
- The Guy Foundation, Beaminster, United Kingdom
| | - E Louise Thomas
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jimmy D Bell
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stanley W Botchway
- OCTOPUS, Central Laser Facility, Science and Technology Facilities Council, Didcot, United Kingdom
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2
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Aryan A, Aghajanpour F, Dashtdar M, Hejazi F, Salimi M, Afshar A, Soltani R, Seyed Hasani AH, Aliaghaei A, Abbaszadeh HA, Mahmoodi H, Zahedi L, Abdollahifar MA, Fadaei Fathabadi F. Exploring Intercellular Dynamics: Ultra-Weak Biophoton Emission as a Novel Indicator of Altered Cell Functions and Disease in Oligospermia Mice. J Lasers Med Sci 2023; 14:e65. [PMID: 38318218 PMCID: PMC10843233 DOI: 10.34172/jlms.2023.65] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Introduction: Biophoton emission, the spontaneous release of photons from living cells, has emerged as an attractive field of research in the study of biological systems. Scientists have recently discovered that changes in biophoton emission could serve as potential indicators of pathological conditions. This intriguing phenomenon suggests that cells might communicate and interact with each other through the exchange of these faint but significant light signals. Therefore, the present study introduces intercellular relationships with biophoton release to detect normal and abnormal cell functions to further achieve cellular interactions by focusing on cell and cell arrangement in disease conditions. Methods: Twenty male mice were assigned to control and busulfan groups. Five weeks after the injection of busulfan, the testis was removed, and then the stereological techniques and TUNEL assay were applied to estimate the histopathology of the testis tissue sections. Results: The findings revealed that the ultra-weak biophoton emission in the control group was significantly lower than in the busulfan group. The oligospermia mice model showed that it significantly changed the spatial arrangement of testicular cells and notably decreased the testis volume, length of seminiferous tubules, and the number of testicular cells. The results of the TUNEL assay showed that the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly increased in the busulfan group. Conclusion: The ultra-weak biophoton emission from testis tissue was reduced in oligospermia mice. As a result, the decline of ultra-weak biophoton can indicate a change in cell arrangement, a decrease in intercellular interaction, and eventually disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arefeh Aryan
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Anatomy Department, School of Medicine, Rasht University of Medical Sciences, Gilan, Iran
| | - Fakhroddin Aghajanpour
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Fatemeh Hejazi
- Department of Advanced Technology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Maryam Salimi
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Azar Afshar
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Reza Soltani
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahad Hasan Seyed Hasani
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Aliaghaei
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hojjat-Allah Abbaszadeh
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hasan Mahmoodi
- Department of Physics, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Leila Zahedi
- Department of Physical Electronics, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Mohammad-Amin Abdollahifar
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Fadaei Fathabadi
- Laser Application in Medical Sciences Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical, Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Gao R, Yu X, Kumar BVVSP, Tian L. Hierarchical Structuration in Protocellular System. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300422. [PMID: 37438327 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Spatial control is one of the ubiquitous features in biological systems and the key to the functional complexity of living cells. The strategies to achieve such precise spatial control in protocellular systems are crucial to constructing complex artificial living systems with functional collective behavior. Herein, the authors review recent advances in the spatial control within a single protocell or between different protocells and discuss how such hierarchical structured protocellular system can be used to understand complex living systems or to advance the development of functional microreactors with the programmable release of various biomacromolecular payloads, or smart protocell-biological cell hybrid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Xinran Yu
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | | | - Liangfei Tian
- Key Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Cardio-Cerebral Vascular Detection Technology and Medicinal Effectiveness Appraisal, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Department of Ultrasound, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
- Innovation Center for Smart Medical Technologies & Devices, Binjiang Institute of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
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Benfatto M, Pace E, Davoli I, Francini R, De Matteis F, Scordo A, Clozza A, De Paolis L, Curceanu C, Grigolini P. Biophotons: New Experimental Data and Analysis. ENTROPY (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 25:1431. [PMID: 37895552 PMCID: PMC10606557 DOI: 10.3390/e25101431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Biophotons are an ultra-weak emission of photons in the visible energy range from living matter. In this work, we study the emission from germinating seeds using an experimental technique designed to detect light of extremely small intensity. The emission from lentil seeds and single bean was analyzed during the whole germination process in terms of the different spectral components through low pass filters and the different count distributions in the various stages of the germination process. Although the shape of the emission spectrum appears to be very similar in the two samples used in our experiment, our analysis can highlight the differences present in the two cases. In this way, it was possible to correlate the various types of emissions to the degree of development of the seed during germination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Benfatto
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Elisabetta Pace
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Ivan Davoli
- Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di “Tor Vergata”, Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 00133 Rome, Italy;
| | - Roberto Francini
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di “Tor Vergata”, Via del Politecnico, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.F.); (F.D.M.)
| | - Fabio De Matteis
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale, Università di “Tor Vergata”, Via del Politecnico, 00133 Rome, Italy; (R.F.); (F.D.M.)
| | - Alessandro Scordo
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Alberto Clozza
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Luca De Paolis
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Catalina Curceanu
- Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Via E. Fermi 40, 00044 Frascati, Italy; (A.S.); (A.C.); (L.D.P.)
| | - Paolo Grigolini
- Center for Nonlinear Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA;
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Mould RR, Kalampouka I, Thomas EL, Guy GW, Nunn AVW, Bell JD. Non-chemical signalling between mitochondria. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1268075. [PMID: 37811497 PMCID: PMC10560087 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1268075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of studies have reported some form of non-chemical or non-aqueous communication between physically isolated organisms, eliciting changes in cellular proliferation, morphology, and/or metabolism. The sources and mechanisms of such signalling pathways are still unknown, but have been postulated to involve vibration, volatile transmission, or light through the phenomenon of ultraweak photon emission. Here, we report non-chemical communication between isolated mitochondria from MCF7 (cancer) and MCF10A (non-cancer) cell lines. We found that mitochondria in one cuvette stressed by an electron transport chain inhibitor, antimycin, alters the respiration of mitochondria in an adjacent, but chemically and physically separate cuvette, significantly decreasing the rate of oxygen consumption compared to a control (p = <0.0001 in MCF7 and MCF10A mitochondria). Moreover, the changes in O2-consumption were dependent on the origin of mitochondria (cancer vs. non-cancer) as well as the presence of "ambient" light. Our results support the existence of non-chemical signalling between isolated mitochondria. The experimental design suggests that the non-chemical communication is light-based, although further work is needed to fully elucidate its nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhys R. Mould
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ifigeneia Kalampouka
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | - E. Louise Thomas
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Alistair V. W. Nunn
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
- The Guy Foundation, Dorset, United Kingdom
| | - Jimmy D. Bell
- Research Centre for Optimal Health, School of Life Sciences, University of Westminster, London, United Kingdom
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6
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Azadian S, Doustmohammadi A, Naseri M, Khodarahmi M, Arab SS, Yazdanifar M, Zahiri J, Lewis NE. Reconstructing the cell-cell interaction network among mouse immune cells. Biotechnol Bioeng 2023; 120:2756-2764. [PMID: 37227044 PMCID: PMC10524935 DOI: 10.1002/bit.28431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Intercellular interactions and cell-cell communication are critical to regulating cell functions, especially in normal immune cells and immunotherapies. Ligand-receptor pairs mediating these cell-cell interactions can be identified using diverse experimental and computational approaches. Here, we reconstructed the intercellular interaction network between Mus musculus immune cells using publicly available receptor-ligand interaction databases and gene expression data from the immunological genome project. This reconstructed network accounts for 50,317 unique interactions between 16 cell types between 731 receptor-ligand pairs. Analysis of this network shows that cells of hematopoietic lineages use fewer communication pathways for interacting with each other, while nonhematopoietic stromal cells use the most network communications. We further observe that the WNT, BMP, and LAMININ pathways are the most significant contributors to the overall number of cell-cell interactions among the various pathways in the reconstructed communication network. This resource will enable the systematic analysis of normal and pathologic immune cell interactions, along with the study of emerging immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Azadian
- Bioinformatics and Computational Omics Lab (BioCOOL), Department of Biophysics, Faculty of biological sciences, Tarbiat modares University (TMU), P.O.Box: 14115-111,Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mohadeseh Naseri
- Institute of Infectious Diseases and Infection Control, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena, Germany
| | | | - Seyed Shahriar Arab
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), P.O.Box: 14115-111, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahboubeh Yazdanifar
- Department of Pediatrics, Stem Cell Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Javad Zahiri
- Department of Neuroscience, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Nathan E. Lewis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
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7
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Vieira WF, Gersten M, Caldieraro MAK, Cassano P. Photobiomodulation for Major Depressive Disorder: Linking Transcranial Infrared Light, Biophotons and Oxidative Stress. Harv Rev Psychiatry 2023; 31:124-141. [PMID: 37171473 DOI: 10.1097/hrp.0000000000000363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Incompletely treated major depressive disorder (MDD) poses an enormous global health burden. Conventional treatment for MDD consists of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, though a significant number of patients do not achieve remission with such treatments. Transcranial photobiomodulation (t-PBM) is a promising novel therapy that uses extracranial light, especially in the near-infrared (NIR) and red spectra, for biological and therapeutic effects. The aims of this Review are to evaluate the current clinical and preclinical literature on t-PBM in MDD and to discuss candidate mechanisms for effects of t-PBM in MDD, with specific attention to biophotons and oxidative stress. A search on PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov identified clinical and preclinical studies using t-PBM for the treatment of MDD as a primary focus. After a systematic screening, only 19 studies containing original data were included in this review (9 clinical and 10 preclinical trials). Study results demonstrate consensus that t-PBM is a safe and potentially effective treatment; however, varying treatment parameters among studies complicate definitive conclusions about efficacy. Among other mechanisms of action, t-PBM stimulates the complex IV of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and induces an increase in cellular energy metabolism. We suggest that future trials include biological measures to better understand the mechanisms of action of t-PBM and to optimize treatment efficiency. Of particular interest going forward will be studying potential effects of t-PBM-an external light source on the NIR spectra-on neural circuitry implicated in depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willians Fernando Vieira
- From Division of Neuropsychiatry and Neuromodulation, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA (Drs. Vieira, Gersten, Cassano); Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (Drs. Vieira, Cassano); Department of Anatomy, Institute of Biomedical Sciences (ICB), University of Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil (Dr. Vieira); Centro de Pesquisa Experimental (CPE) e Centro de Pesquisa Clínica (CPC), Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil (Dr. Caldieraro); Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Faculdade de Medicina, Departamento de Psiquiatria e Medicina Legal, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psiquiatria e Ciências do Comportamento, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil (Dr. Caldieraro)
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Zarkeshian P, Kergan T, Ghobadi R, Nicola W, Simon C. Photons guided by axons may enable backpropagation-based learning in the brain. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20720. [PMID: 36456619 PMCID: PMC9715721 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24871-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite great advances in explaining synaptic plasticity and neuron function, a complete understanding of the brain's learning algorithms is still missing. Artificial neural networks provide a powerful learning paradigm through the backpropagation algorithm which modifies synaptic weights by using feedback connections. Backpropagation requires extensive communication of information back through the layers of a network. This has been argued to be biologically implausible and it is not clear whether backpropagation can be realized in the brain. Here we suggest that biophotons guided by axons provide a potential channel for backward transmission of information in the brain. Biophotons have been experimentally shown to be produced in the brain, yet their purpose is not understood. We propose that biophotons can propagate from each post-synaptic neuron to its pre-synaptic one to carry the required information backward. To reflect the stochastic character of biophoton emissions, our model includes the stochastic backward transmission of teaching signals. We demonstrate that a three-layered network of neurons can learn the MNIST handwritten digit classification task using our proposed backpropagation-like algorithm with stochastic photonic feedback. We model realistic restrictions and show that our system still learns the task for low rates of biophoton emission, information-limited (one bit per photon) backward transmission, and in the presence of noise photons. Our results suggest a new functionality for biophotons and provide an alternate mechanism for backward transmission in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Zarkeshian
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1 Canada ,1QB Information Technologies (1QBit), Vancouver, BC Canada
| | - Taylor Kergan
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada
| | - Roohollah Ghobadi
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1 Canada
| | - Wilten Nicola
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Cumming School of Medicine, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB Canada
| | - Christoph Simon
- grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Department of Physics & Astronomy, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Institute for Quantum Science and Technology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4 Canada ,grid.22072.350000 0004 1936 7697Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1 Canada
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Hamblin MR. Do Biophotons Play Any Role in Transcranial Photobiomodulation of the Brain? Photobiomodul Photomed Laser Surg 2022; 40:731-733. [PMID: 36395085 DOI: 10.1089/photob.2022.0095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Hamblin
- Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein, South Africa
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Zeng H, Zhang Y, Ma Y, Li S. Electromagnetic modeling and simulation of the biophoton propagation in myelinated axon waveguide. APPLIED OPTICS 2022; 61:4013-4021. [PMID: 36256074 DOI: 10.1364/ao.446845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Biophotons in the nervous system are a potential carrier of neural signals. Previous experiments and studies indicated that biophotons are closely related to the neuronal activity and can propagate along myelinated axons. We establish a multilayer electromagnetic simulation model and demonstrate that the myelinated axon waveguide has low attenuation and low dispersion and operates in a narrow bandwidth on the order of 10 nm. We also find that the operating wavelength of the waveguide is almost linearly related to the axon diameter and the number of myelin layers. Each additional layer of the myelin sheath causes the operating wavelength of the myelinated axon waveguide to shift 52.3 nm to the long-wave direction, while an increase in the axon diameter of 1.0 µm causes the operating wavelength to shift 94.5 nm to the short-wave direction. These findings well explain the tendency of the spectral redshift among different species and the spectral blueshift during the aging process of mice. Via the analysis method in this paper, we can predict the wavelength of the propagating biophotons based on the neural structure.
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11
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Pónya Z, Somfalvi-Tóth K. Modelling biophoton emission kinetics based on the initial intensity value in Helianthus annuus plants exposed to different types of stress. Sci Rep 2022; 12:2317. [PMID: 35145188 PMCID: PMC8831617 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-06323-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Biophoton radiation also referred to as ultra-weak photon emission (UPE) is used to denote a spontaneous and permanent photon emission associated with oxidative processes in cells and seems to universally occur in all living systems as a result of the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are produced under stress conditions. The measurement of this biophoton emission allows for a non-invasive approach in monitoring phenological stages throughout plant development which has direct relevance in agriculture research. In this study, the emission of photons emanating from sunflower (Helianthus annuus, L.) plants exposed to biotic and abiotic stress has been investigated. In healthy plants raised under controlled growth conditions UPE was low whereas in stressed individuals it considerably increased; particularly upon water stress. The kinetics of the signal is shown to reveal an exponential decay with characteristic dynamics, which appears to reflect different physiological states concomitantly setting in upon stress. The dynamics of the signal decay is shown to vary according to the type of stress applied (biotic vs. abiotic) hence suggesting a putative relationship between the kinetic traits of change in the signal intensity-decay and stress. Intriguingly, the determination of the change in the intensity of biophoton emission that ensued in a short time course was possible by using the initial biophoton emission intensity. The predictability level of the equations demonstrated the applicability of the model in a corroborative manner when employing it in independent UPE-measurements, thus permitting to forecast the intensity change in a very accurate way over a short time course. Our findings allow the notion that albeit stress confers complex and complicated changes on oxidative metabolism in biological systems, the employment of biophoton imaging offers a feasible method making it possible to monitor oxidative processes triggered by stress in a non-invasive and label-free way which has versatile applications especially in precision agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsolt Pónya
- Agricultural and Food Research Centre, Széchenyi István University, Egyetem tér 1, Győr, H-9026, Hungary.
| | - Katalin Somfalvi-Tóth
- Department of Agronomy, Institute of Agronomy, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, 40. S. Guba str, Kaposvár, H-7400, Hungary
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Naumova EV, Vladimirov YA, Tuchin VV, Namiot VA, Volodyaev IV. Methods of Studying Ultraweak Photon Emission from Biological Objects: III. Physical Methods. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350922010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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13
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Cell-cell death communication by signals passing through non-aqueous environments: A reply. RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2022.100538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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Timsit Y, Grégoire SP. Towards the Idea of Molecular Brains. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111868. [PMID: 34769300 PMCID: PMC8584932 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
How can single cells without nervous systems perform complex behaviours such as habituation, associative learning and decision making, which are considered the hallmark of animals with a brain? Are there molecular systems that underlie cognitive properties equivalent to those of the brain? This review follows the development of the idea of molecular brains from Darwin’s “root brain hypothesis”, through bacterial chemotaxis, to the recent discovery of neuron-like r-protein networks in the ribosome. By combining a structural biology view with a Bayesian brain approach, this review explores the evolutionary labyrinth of information processing systems across scales. Ribosomal protein networks open a window into what were probably the earliest signalling systems to emerge before the radiation of the three kingdoms. While ribosomal networks are characterised by long-lasting interactions between their protein nodes, cell signalling networks are essentially based on transient interactions. As a corollary, while signals propagated in persistent networks may be ephemeral, networks whose interactions are transient constrain signals diffusing into the cytoplasm to be durable in time, such as post-translational modifications of proteins or second messenger synthesis. The duration and nature of the signals, in turn, implies different mechanisms for the integration of multiple signals and decision making. Evolution then reinvented networks with persistent interactions with the development of nervous systems in metazoans. Ribosomal protein networks and simple nervous systems display architectural and functional analogies whose comparison could suggest scale invariance in information processing. At the molecular level, the significant complexification of eukaryotic ribosomal protein networks is associated with a burst in the acquisition of new conserved aromatic amino acids. Knowing that aromatic residues play a critical role in allosteric receptors and channels, this observation suggests a general role of π systems and their interactions with charged amino acids in multiple signal integration and information processing. We think that these findings may provide the molecular basis for designing future computers with organic processors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youri Timsit
- Aix Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS, IRD, MIO UM110, 13288 Marseille, France
- Research Federation for the Study of Global Ocean Systems Ecology and Evolution, FR2022/Tara GOSEE, 3 rue Michel-Ange, 75016 Paris, France
- Correspondence:
| | - Sergeant-Perthuis Grégoire
- Institut de Mathématiques de Jussieu—Paris Rive Gauche (IMJ-PRG), UMR 7586, CNRS-Université Paris Diderot, 75013 Paris, France;
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15
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Bioluminescence and Photoreception in Unicellular Organisms: Light-Signalling in a Bio-Communication Perspective. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222111311. [PMID: 34768741 PMCID: PMC8582858 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222111311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bioluminescence, the emission of light catalysed by luciferases, has evolved in many taxa from bacteria to vertebrates and is predominant in the marine environment. It is now well established that in animals possessing a nervous system capable of integrating light stimuli, bioluminescence triggers various behavioural responses and plays a role in intra- or interspecific visual communication. The function of light emission in unicellular organisms is less clear and it is currently thought that it has evolved in an ecological framework, to be perceived by visual animals. For example, while it is thought that bioluminescence allows bacteria to be ingested by zooplankton or fish, providing them with favourable conditions for growth and dispersal, the luminous flashes emitted by dinoflagellates may have evolved as an anti-predation system against copepods. In this short review, we re-examine this paradigm in light of recent findings in microorganism photoreception, signal integration and complex behaviours. Numerous studies show that on the one hand, bacteria and protists, whether autotrophs or heterotrophs, possess a variety of photoreceptors capable of perceiving and integrating light stimuli of different wavelengths. Single-cell light-perception produces responses ranging from phototaxis to more complex behaviours. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that unicellular prokaryotes and eukaryotes can perform complex tasks ranging from habituation and decision-making to associative learning, despite lacking a nervous system. Here, we focus our analysis on two taxa, bacteria and dinoflagellates, whose bioluminescence is well studied. We propose the hypothesis that similar to visual animals, the interplay between light-emission and reception could play multiple roles in intra- and interspecific communication and participate in complex behaviour in the unicellular world.
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16
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Naumova EV, Vladimirov YA, Beloussov LV, Tuchin VV, Volodyaev IV. Methods of Studying Ultraweak Photon Emission from Biological Objects: I. History, Types and Properties, Fundamental and Application Significance. Biophysics (Nagoya-shi) 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006350921050158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
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17
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Chakraborty T, Wegner SV. Cell to Cell Signaling through Light in Artificial Cell Communities: Glowing Predator Lures Prey. ACS NANO 2021; 15:9434-9444. [PMID: 34152740 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c01600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Cells commonly communicate with each other through diffusible molecules but nonchemical communication remains elusive. While bioluminescent organisms communicate through light to find prey or attract mates, it is still under debate if signaling through light is possible at the cellular level. Here, we demonstrate that cell to cell signaling through light is possible in artificial cell communities derived from biomimetic vesicles. In our design, artificial sender cells produce an intracellular light signal, which triggers the adhesion to receiver cells. Unlike soluble molecules, the light signal propagates fast, independent of diffusion and without the need for a transporter across membranes. To obtain a predator-prey relationship, the luminescence predator cells is loaded with a secondary diffusible poison, which is transferred to the prey cell upon adhesion and leads to its lysis. This design provides a blueprint for light based intercellular communication, which can be used for programing artificial and natural cell communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taniya Chakraborty
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, Waldeyerstr. 15, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Seraphine V Wegner
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, University of Münster, Waldeyerstr. 15, 48149 Münster, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
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18
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Biophotons and Emergence of Quantum Coherence-A Diffusion Entropy Analysis. ENTROPY 2021; 23:e23050554. [PMID: 33947077 PMCID: PMC8146849 DOI: 10.3390/e23050554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
We study the emission of photons from germinating seeds using an experimental technique designed to detect light of extremely small intensity. We analyze the dark count signal without germinating seeds as well as the photon emission during the germination process. The technique of analysis adopted here, called diffusion entropy analysis (DEA) and originally designed to measure the temporal complexity of astrophysical, sociological and physiological processes, rests on Kolmogorov complexity. The updated version of DEA used in this paper is designed to determine if the signal complexity is generated either by non-ergodic crucial events with a non-stationary correlation function or by the infinite memory of a stationary but non-integrable correlation function or by a mixture of both processes. We find that dark count yields the ordinary scaling, thereby showing that no complexity of either kinds may occur without any seeds in the chamber. In the presence of seeds in the chamber anomalous scaling emerges, reminiscent of that found in neuro-physiological processes. However, this is a mixture of both processes and with the progress of germination the non-ergodic component tends to vanish and complexity becomes dominated by the stationary infinite memory. We illustrate some conjectures ranging from stress induced annihilation of crucial events to the emergence of quantum coherence.
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19
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Riancho J, Sanchez de la Torre JR, Paz-Fajardo L, Limia C, Santurtun A, Cifra M, Kourtidis K, Fdez-Arroyabe P. The role of magnetic fields in neurodegenerative diseases. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2021; 65:107-117. [PMID: 32198562 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-020-01896-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The term neurodegenerative diseases include a long list of diseases affecting the nervous system that are characterized by the degeneration of different neurological structures. Among them, Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease (PD), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are the most representative ones. The vast majority of cases are sporadic and results from the interaction of genes and environmental factors in genetically predisposed individuals. Among environmental conditions, electromagnetic field exposure has begun to be assessed as a potential risk factor for neurodegeneration. In this review, we discuss the existing literature regarding electromagnetic fields and neurodegenerative diseases. Epidemiological studies in AD, PD, and ALS have shown discordant results; thus, a clear correlation between electromagnetic exposure and neurodegeneration has not been demonstrated. In addition, we discuss the role of electromagnetic radiation as a potential non-invasive therapeutic strategy for some neurodegenerative diseases, particularly for PD and AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Riancho
- Service of Neurology, Hospital Sierrallana-IDIVAL, Barrio Ganzo s/n, 39300, Torrelavega, Spain.
- CIBERNED, Barcelona, Spain.
- Medicine and Psychiatry Department, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
| | | | - Lucía Paz-Fajardo
- Service of Internal Medicine, Hospital Sierrallana, Torrelavega, Spain
| | - Cristina Limia
- Service of Internal Medicine, Hospital Sierrallana, Torrelavega, Spain
| | - Ana Santurtun
- Legal Medicine and Toxicology Unit, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
| | - Michal Cifra
- Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Chaberská 1014/57, 182 51, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kostas Kourtidis
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Democritus University of Thrace, 67100, Xanthi, Greece
- Environmental and Networking Technologies and Applications Unit (ENTA), Athena Research and Innovation Center, 67100, Xanthi, Greece
| | - Pablo Fdez-Arroyabe
- Geography and Planning Department, Geobiomet Research Group, University of Cantabria, Santander, Spain
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20
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Oates RP. Role of Brownian Particle Velocity in Bioelectronic Emissions of DNA. Bioelectricity 2020; 2:399-404. [PMID: 34476369 DOI: 10.1089/bioe.2020.0017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypothesis: If double stranded DNA (dsDNA) is a charged biomolecule that moves in Earth's magnetic field at a Brownian velocity, then dsDNA may emit bioelectromagnetic waves at energies that reflect discrete genetic states. Methods: This work leverages the Planck-Einstein-de Broglie relationship and applies this concept to Brownian velocity of dsDNA within a cell, to describe the relationship between dsDNA mass, the average Brownian velocity of dsDNA within a cell, and the theoretical wavelengths at which DNA may emit bioelectromagnetic waves. Results: Theoretical emission wavelengths of dsDNA, derived from first principles, were found to correlate closely with experimentally observed emission wavelengths from spectroscopic measurements across various cellular systems in the literature. Conclusion: This work provides a conceptual basis for the potential for unification of bioelectromagnetism with Brownian motion, to elucidate how electromagnetic information can be generated at a subcellular level in biological systems. The implications of how finite mass changes in dsDNA can result in discrete emission wavelengths on electromagnetic timescales is discussed through the lens of genomics. Future refinements of this fundamental methodology may provide a conceptual basis to address previously unexplained multilevel phenomena in the field of biology and is general enough to be extended to other charged biomolecules at a subcellular level. Further exploration in this area could lead to new biological tool development that may augment current genomics methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- R P Oates
- Rhodium Scientific, LLC, Houston, Texas, USA
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21
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Kent JB, Jin L, Li XJ. Quantifying Biofield Therapy through Biophoton Emission in a Cellular Model. JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION : A PUBLICATION OF THE SOCIETY FOR SCIENTIFIC EXPLORATION 2020; 34:434-454. [PMID: 33223611 PMCID: PMC7676814 DOI: 10.31275/20201691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Biofield therapy has shown positive results over a broad range of pathology from preclinical research to human studies. However, biofield therapy investigation is limited by an inability to quantify the therapeutic effect. This study aimed to measure the effects Reiki had on mice intervertebral disc (IVD) cells compared with sham and to quantify Reiki by measuring photon emission. We treated mice IVD cells with ten-minute sessions of either Reiki or sham on three successive days. During treatment, we placed the cells in a specifically constructed box with an installed photomultiplier tube (PMT). Reiki significantly increased the photon emission of the cells post-treatment compared with Reiki pre-treatment and sham (p < 0.05). Real time PCR (RT PCR) showed an increase in collagen II and aggrecan (p < 0.05). We present a means to quantify biofield therapy by measuring the post-treatment photon emission. We concurrently demonstrate Reiki's effect on the anabolic healing response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy B Kent
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Virginia Athletics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia USA
| | - Li Jin
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia
| | - Xudong Joshua Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Virginia Health System
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22
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Communication of the Cell Periphery with the Golgi Apparatus: A Hypothesis. Results Probl Cell Differ 2019. [PMID: 31435804 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23173-6_16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
The Golgi apparatus plays a central role in the numerous traffic tasks in cells. Whereas the well-investigated chemical signaling is sufficient to explain the information processes in the secretory output of cells, it is insufficient to do that for the substitution of structural elements in the three-dimensional space of the cell. Here we review recent work (Jaross, Front Biosci 23:940-946, 2018) suggesting that molecular vibration patterns of those macromolecules which have to be exchanged are recognized by molecules in the Golgi via resonance of the electromagnetic fingerprints. That results in the activation of specific molecules and induction of the whole substitution process. For bridging intracellular distances, the IR radiation must be coherent. It is discussed that coherence is achieved by chemical reaction during the changing process of the molecule along with the quasicrystalline structure of the neighboring water molecules. Several aspects of the relevance of that signaling to the direct interactions of molecules during various intracellular processes are discussed.
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23
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Dlask M, Kukal J, Poplová M, Sovka P, Cifra M. Short-time fractal analysis of biological autoluminescence. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214427. [PMID: 31348777 PMCID: PMC6660117 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 07/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological systems manifest continuous weak autoluminescence, which is present even in the absence of external stimuli. Since this autoluminescence arises from internal metabolic and physiological processes, several works suggested that it could carry information in the time series of the detected photon counts. However, there is little experimental work which would show any difference of this signal from random Poisson noise and some works were prone to artifacts due to lacking or improper reference signals. Here we apply rigorous statistical methods and advanced reference signals to test the hypothesis whether time series of autoluminescence from germinating mung beans display any intrinsic correlations. Utilizing the fractional Brownian bridge that employs short samples of time series in the method kernel, we suggest that the detected autoluminescence signal from mung beans is not totally random, but it seems to involve a process with a negative memory. Our results contribute to the development of the rigorous methodology of signal analysis of photonic biosignals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Dlask
- Czech Technical University, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Trojanova 12, Praha, Czechia
| | - Jaromír Kukal
- Czech Technical University, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, Trojanova 12, Praha, Czechia
| | - Michaela Poplová
- Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Chaberská 57, Praha 8, Czechia
| | - Pavel Sovka
- Department of Circuit Theory of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at Czech Technical University in Prague, Technická 2, Praha 6, Czechia
| | - Michal Cifra
- Institute of Photonics and Electronics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Chaberská 57, Praha 8, Czechia
- * E-mail:
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24
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Endogenous Chemiluminescence from Germinating Arabidopsis Thaliana Seeds. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16231. [PMID: 30385859 PMCID: PMC6212569 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34485-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that all biological systems which undergo oxidative metabolism or oxidative stress generate a small amount of light. Since the origin of excited states producing this light is generally accepted to come from chemical reactions, the term endogenous biological chemiluminescence is appropriate. Apart from biomedicine, this phenomenon has potential applications also in plant biology and agriculture like monitoring the germination rate of seeds. While chemiluminescence capability to monitor germination has been measured on multiple agriculturally relevant plants, the standard model plant Arabidopsis thaliana has not been analyzed for this process so far. To fill in this gap, we demonstrate here on A. thaliana that the intensity of endogenous chemiluminescence increases during the germination stage. We showed that the chemiluminescence intensity increases since the second day of germination, but reaches a plateau on the third day, in contrast to other plants germinating from larger seeds studied so far. We also showed that intensity increases after topical application of hydrogen peroxide in a dose-dependent manner. Further, we demonstrated that the entropy of the chemiluminescence time series is similar to random Poisson signals. Our results support a notion that metabolism and oxidative reactions are underlying processes which generate endogenous biological chemiluminescence. Our findings contribute to novel methods for non-invasive and label-free sensing of oxidative processes in plant biology and agriculture.
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25
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Zangari A, Micheli D, Galeazzi R, Tozzi A. Node of Ranvier as an Array of Bio-Nanoantennas for Infrared Communication in Nerve Tissue. Sci Rep 2018; 8:539. [PMID: 29323217 PMCID: PMC5764955 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18866-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Electromagnetic radiation, in the visible and infrared spectrum, is increasingly being investigated for its possible role in the most evolved brain capabilities. Beside experimental evidence of electromagnetic cellular interactions, the possibility of light propagation in the axon has been recently demonstrated using computational modelling, although an explanation of its source is still not completely understood. We studied electromagnetic radiation onset and propagation at optical frequencies in myelinated axons, under the assumption that ion channel currents in the node of Ranvier behave like an array of nanoantennas emitting in the wavelength range from 300 to 2500 nm. Our results suggest that the wavelengths below 1600 nm are most likely to propagate throughout myelinated segments. Therefore, a broad wavelength window exists where both generation and propagation could happen, which in turn raises the possibility that such a radiation may play some role in neurotransmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Zangari
- Azienda Ospedaliera San Camillo Forlanini, Pediatric Surgery and Urology Unit, Circonvallazione Gianicolense 87-00152, Roma, Italy
| | - Davide Micheli
- TIM S.P.A., Wireless Access Engineering Department, Viale Parco de' Medici, 61 - 00148, Roma, Italy.
| | - Roberta Galeazzi
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita e dell'Ambiente, università Politecnica delle Marche, via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy
| | - Antonio Tozzi
- UOC Fisica Sanitaria, Azienda USL Toscana Sud Est, via Senese 161, 58100, Grosseto, Italy
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26
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Kurian P, Obisesan TO, Craddock TJA. Oxidative species-induced excitonic transport in tubulin aromatic networks: Potential implications for neurodegenerative disease. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2017; 175:109-124. [PMID: 28865316 PMCID: PMC5610651 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.08.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2017] [Revised: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 08/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a pathological hallmark of neurodegenerative tauopathic disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease-related dementia, which are characterized by altered forms of the microtubule-associated protein (MAP) tau. MAP tau is a key protein in stabilizing the microtubule architecture that regulates neuron morphology and synaptic strength. When MAP tau is degraded in tauopathic disorders, neuron dysfunction results. The precise role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tauopathic disease process, however, is poorly understood. Classically, mitochondrial dysfunction has been viewed as the major source of oxidative stress and has been shown to precede tau and amyloid pathology in various dementias, but the exact mechanisms are not clear. It is known that the production of ROS by mitochondria can result in ultraweak photon emission (UPE) within cells. While of low intensity, surrounding proteins within the cytosol can still absorb these energetic photons via aromatic amino acids (e.g., tryptophan and tyrosine). One likely absorber of these photons is the microtubule cytoskeleton, as it forms a vast network spanning neurons, is highly co-localized with mitochondria, and shows a high density of aromatic amino acids. Functional microtubule networks may traffic this ROS-generated endogenous photon energy for cellular signaling, or they may serve as dissipaters/conduits of such energy to protect the cell from potentially harmful effects. Experimentally, after in vitro exposure to exogenous photons, microtubules have been shown to reorient and reorganize in a dose-dependent manner with the greatest effect being observed around 280nm, in the tryptophan and tyrosine absorption range. In this paper, recent modeling efforts based on ambient temperature experiment are presented, showing that tubulin polymers can feasibly absorb and channel these photoexcitations via resonance energy transfer, on the order of dendritic length scales and neuronal fine structure. Since microtubule networks are compromised in tauopathic diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's dementias, patients with these illnesses would be unable to support effective channeling of these photons for signaling or dissipation. Consequent emission surplus due to increased UPE production or decreased ability to absorb and transfer may lead to increased cellular oxidative damage, thus hastening the neurodegenerative process.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Kurian
- National Human Genome Center, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA; Department of Medicine, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA; Computational Physics Laboratory, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA.
| | - T O Obisesan
- Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science Clinical Research Unit, Howard University College of Medicine, Washington, DC 20060, USA
| | - T J A Craddock
- Department of Psychology & Neuroscience, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Department of Computer Science, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Department of Clinical Immunology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Clinical Systems Biology Group, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA
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27
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Footitt S, Palleschi S, Fazio E, Palomba R, Finch-Savage WE, Silvestroni L. Ultraweak Photon Emission from the Seed Coat in Response to Temperature and Humidity-A Potential Mechanism for Environmental Signal Transduction in the Soil Seed Bank. Photochem Photobiol 2016; 92:678-87. [PMID: 27389858 PMCID: PMC5031227 DOI: 10.1111/php.12616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Seeds beneath the soil sense the changing environment to time germination and seedling emergence with the optimum time of year for survival. Environmental signals first impact with the seed at the seed coat. To investigate whether seed coats have a role in environmental sensing we investigated their ultraweak photon emission (UPE) under the variable temperature, relative humidity and oxygen conditions they could experience in the soil seed bank. Using a custom‐built luminometer we measured UPE intensity and spectra (300–700 nm) from Phaseolus vulgaris seeds, seed coats and cotyledons. UPE was greatest from the internal surface of the seed coat. Seed coat UPE increased concomitantly with both increasing temperature and decreasing relative humidity. Emission was oxygen dependent and it was abolished by treatment with dinitrophenylhydrazine, demonstrating the key role of seed coat carbonyls in the phenomenon. We hypothesize that beneath the soil surface the attenuation of light (virtual darkness: low background noise) enables seeds to exploit UPE for transducing key environmental variables in the soil (temperature, humidity and oxygen) to inform them of seasonal and local temperature patterns. Overall, seed coats were found to have potential as effective transducers of key fluctuating environmental variables in the soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Footitt
- School of Life Sciences, University of Warwick, Warwickshire, UK.
| | - Simonetta Palleschi
- Department of Haematology, Oncology and Molecular Medicine, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Eugenio Fazio
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Sciences for Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Raffaele Palomba
- The National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Rome, Italy
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28
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Volodyaev I, Beloussov LV. Revisiting the mitogenetic effect of ultra-weak photon emission. Front Physiol 2015; 6:241. [PMID: 26441668 PMCID: PMC4561347 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2014] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper reviews the 90 years long controversial history of the so-called "mitogenetic radiation," the first case of non-chemical distant interactions, reported by Gurwitsch (1923). It was soon described as ultraweak UV, emitted by a number of biological systems, and stimulating mitosis in "competent" (in this sense) cells. In the following 20 years this phenomenon attracted enormous interest of the scientific community, and gave rise to more than 700 publications around the world. Yet, this wave of research vanished after several ostensibly disproving works in late 1930-s, and was not resumed later, regardless of quite serious grounds for that. The authors discuss separately two aspects of the problem: (1) do living organisms emit ultraweak radiation in the UV range (irrespective of whether it has any biological role), and (2) are there any real effects of this ultraweak photon emission (UPE) upon cell division and/or other biological functions? Analysis of the available data permits to conclude, that UV fraction of UPE should be regarded real, while its biological effects are difficult to reproduce. This causes a paradox. A number of presently known qualities of UPE were initially discovered (predicted?) by the "early workers" on the basis of biological effects. Yet the qualities they discovered were proved later (the UV component of UPE, the sources of UPE among biological systems, etc…), while the biological effect they used for UPE "detection" remains questionable. Importance of this area for basic biology and medicine, and potential usefulness of UPE as a non-invasive research method, invite scientists to attack this problem again, applying powerful research facilities of modern science. Yet, because of complexity and uncertainty of the problem, further progress in this area demands comprehensive examination of both positive and negative works, with particular attention to their methodical details.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya Volodyaev
- Laboratory of Developmental Biophysics, Department of Embryology, Faculty of Biology, Moscow State UniversityMoscow, Russia
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29
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Scholkmann F. Two emerging topics regarding long-range physical signaling in neurosystems: Membrane nanotubes and electromagnetic fields. J Integr Neurosci 2015; 14:135-53. [DOI: 10.1142/s0219635215300115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Tozzi P. A unifying neuro-fasciagenic model of somatic dysfunction - Underlying mechanisms and treatment - Part II. J Bodyw Mov Ther 2015; 19:526-43. [PMID: 26118526 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2014] [Revised: 02/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/24/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
This paper offers an extensive review of the main fascia-mediated mechanisms underlying various therapeutic processes of clinical relevance for manual therapy. The concept of somatic dysfunction is revisited in light of the several fascial influences that may come into play during and after manual treatment. A change in perspective is thus proposed: from a nociceptive model that for decades has viewed somatic dysfunction as a neurologically-mediated phenomenon, to a unifying neuro-fascial model that integrates neural influences into a multifactorial and multidimensional interpretation of manual therapeutic effects as being partially, if not entirely, mediated by the fascia. By taking into consideration a wide spectrum of fascia-related factors - from cell-based mechanisms to cognitive and behavioural influences - a model emerges suggesting, amongst other results, a multidisciplinary-approach to the intervention of somatic dysfunction. Finally, it is proposed that a sixth osteopathic 'meta-model' - the connective tissue-fascial model - be added to the existing five models in osteopathic philosophy as the main interface between all body systems, thus providing a structural and functional framework for the body's homoeostatic potential and its inherent abilities to heal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Tozzi
- School of Osteopathy C.R.O.M.O.N., Rome, Italy; C.O.ME. Collaboration, Pescara, Italy.
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Friesen DE, Craddock TJA, Kalra AP, Tuszynski JA. Biological wires, communication systems, and implications for disease. Biosystems 2014; 127:14-27. [PMID: 25448891 DOI: 10.1016/j.biosystems.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 10/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/31/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microtubules, actin, and collagen are macromolecular structures that compose a large percentage of the proteins in the human body, helping form and maintain both intracellular and extracellular structure. They are biological wires and are structurally connected through various other proteins. Microtubules (MTs) have been theorized to be involved in classical and quantum information processing, and evidence continues to suggest possible semiconduction through MTs. The previous Dendritic Cytoskeleton Information Processing Model has hypothesized how MTs and actin form a communication network in neurons. Here, we review information transfer possibilities involving MTs, actin, and collagen, and the evidence of an organism-wide high-speed communication network that may regulate morphogenesis and cellular proliferation. The direct and indirect evidence in support of this hypothesis, and implications for chronic diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas E Friesen
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada
| | - Travis J A Craddock
- Center for Psychological Studies, Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA; Clinical Systems Biology Group, Institute for Neuro-Immune Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33328, USA
| | - Aarat P Kalra
- Department of Chemistry, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra 282005, India
| | - Jack A Tuszynski
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada; Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1, Canada.
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Farhadi A. Non-Chemical Distant Cellular Interactions as a potential confounder of cell biology experiments. Front Physiol 2014; 5:405. [PMID: 25368582 PMCID: PMC4201089 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Distant cells can communicate with each other through a variety of methods. Two such methods involve electrical and/or chemical mechanisms. Non-chemical, distant cellular interactions may be another method of communication that cells can use to modify the behavior of other cells that are mechanically separated. Moreover, non-chemical, distant cellular interactions may explain some cases of confounding effects in Cell Biology experiments. In this article, we review non-chemical, distant cellular interactions studies to try to shed light on the mechanisms in this highly unconventional field of cell biology. Despite the existence of several theories that try to explain the mechanism of non-chemical, distant cellular interactions, this phenomenon is still speculative. Among candidate mechanisms, electromagnetic waves appear to have the most experimental support. In this brief article, we try to answer a few key questions that may further clarify this mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashkan Farhadi
- Digestive Disease Center, Memorial Care Medical GroupCosta Mesa, CA, USA
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Ultra-weak photon emission from biological samples: definition, mechanisms, properties, detection and applications. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2014; 139:2-10. [PMID: 24726298 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2014.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2013] [Revised: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2014] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This review attempts to summarize molecular mechanisms, spectral and intensity properties, detection techniques and applications of ultra-weak photon emission. Ultra-weak photon emission is the chemiluminescence from biological systems where electronically excited species are formed during oxidative metabolic or oxidative stress processes. It is generally accepted that photons are emitted (1) at near UVA, visible, and near IR spectral ranges from 350 to 1300nm and (2) at the intensity of photon emission in the range of several units to several hundreds (oxidative metabolic process) and several hundreds to several thousands (oxidative stress process) photons s(-1)cm(-2). Current development in detection using low-noise photomultiplier tubes and imaging using highly sensitive charge coupled device cameras allows temporal and spatial visualization of oxidative metabolic or oxidative stress processes, respectively. As the phenomenon of ultra-weak photon emission reflects oxidative metabolic or oxidative stress processes, it can be widely used as a non-invasive tool for monitoring of the physiological state of biological systems.
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